


marmoris

by Fiselis



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: (except its not may OOPS), Almyra (Fire Emblem), Alternate Universe, Developing Relationship, M/M, MerMay 2020, Mermaid Claude, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, almyra is like... mermaids now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:06:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiselis/pseuds/Fiselis
Summary: Marmoris[Mar - mor - is](noun)1. Marble-like; statuesque2. The surface of the sea---Everyone has something to hide. Hidden behind carefully raised walls, very few get to see the entire truth to one's being.Claude didn't have the choice to raise and drop his walls at will. His secret was detrimental to who he was, even if he wanted to share, he couldn't. It wasn't out of ill intent, he just needed to protect himself.Dimitri was the same. He had to keep himself tight-lipped, couldn't let anyone see any signs of weakness. It was shaky ground, but it was all he knew.Even their most pleasant smiles were guarded as they concealed the raging turmoil within, like an ocean storm, or perhaps a beast desperately trying to claw its way out. Similar, yet worlds apart.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 11
Kudos: 54





	1. my heart beats like the rain

**Author's Note:**

> time isnt real *posts mermay fic in june*
> 
> alright *cracks knuckles* lets see if we can actually finish this one. i feel good B)
> 
> thank you to  @YamiOokami13  for beta'ing this! ily homie *finger points*
> 
> i'm not going to write much else. enjoy!

It was no secret that Claude was rather secretive. Sneaky, even, at times. 

Though, with such an easy, charming smile, it was easy for him to get out of trouble. Not that he didn’t avoid it in the first place, but it was a great backup plan. Secrecy was something he was good at, he  _ had _ to be, even if he didn’t want to.

But, alas, it didn’t matter what he wanted. None of it did. What mattered was that he was here, he was learning, and he was making the crucial connections he needed for his goals.

He didn’t  _ want  _ to lie. He just couldn’t exactly tell the truth.

\--

The monastery was brimming with life once the weather was clear. The sunlight filtered into the courtyards, students scattered around in groups. Some were studying, others were chatting away, regardless, everyone was enjoying the peaceful day. Dimitri was one of them, enjoying the shade while he waited for Dedue to meet him. Everything was calm, the burdens of everyone’s lives lifted, even if just for today. At least, until there was a loud crash coming from the direction of the Golden Deer classroom, followed by a loud--

“ _ CLAUDE!” _

Dimitri glanced over, just in time to see Lysithea aggressively shoving Claude out of their classroom. He looked sheepish, saying something quietly, but the younger girl clearly had no interest in listening. She returned to the classroom, leaving Claude looking after her like an abandoned puppy.

He finally turned, just happening to catch Dimitri’s gaze, and gave him a smile and a wave. Dimitri felt his cheeks burn, immediately turning on his heels and marching in the opposite direction. Truly embarrassing, to be caught staring like that, he felt like he was going to faint. 

\--

Claude was on a roll for messing up today. First, the  _ mishap  _ in the classroom, then Dimitri ran off, looking angry. He had no idea what that was about, considering the two had hardly spoken outside of their house leader meetings and the occasional dining hall chitchat. It just seemed that the prince didn’t particularly care for him.

  
Ah, but he wouldn’t be the first. There was really no surprise, there.

Claude quelled the thought. He was nothing if not stubborn. He  _ would _ be friends with him, or at least not  _ hated _ by him. Whether out of his own desire to become closer, or if it was a simple political need. He couldn’t risk making an enemy of the Prince of Faerghus. 

He ran a hand through his hair. So much was on his mind, and very little could be done about it. He had to be a leader, had to befriend the right people, and try not to make enemies with the wrong ones. He had to be  _ trustworthy  _ but not  _ trusting _ . Let people  _ think _ they were close with him, while he kept himself miles apart. 

Claude hadn’t even realized he had ended up at the training grounds until he heard the sound of swords clashing. The sound was jarring enough to break him from his thoughts as he glanced around the area. Felix was clashing with another student, who had fallen back to land on their back. 

Felix let the tip of his sword fall close to the student’s throat, towering over them in victory. Claude wandered over, regarding the two with a curious look.    
  
“Well done, Felix,” Claude commended, giving him a small clap of his hands. “Not only did you defeat your training partner, but it looks like you’re also going to give them nightmares for the next couple of days.”   
  
Felix scowled, letting out a grunt of frustration as he stepped back and sheathed his sword. The student let out a surprised squeak, scurrying away from the two, disappearing somewhere out of their sights.

“Riegan,” Felix growled, turning to face him. “You scared off my training partner.”

Claude raised his hands defensively, giving him an easy smile. “Actually, Felix, I think that was all you.”   
  
“I still need to train. You’ll take their place,” Felix took a step towards him, hand moving to rest on the pommel of his sword. Claude raised an eyebrow, taking an immediate step back. 

“Easy there, Felix. You  _ know _ I’d be a waste of your time,” Claude let out a tight laugh. “I’m not exactly handy with a sword--”   
  
“Felix!”   
  
Felix and Claude both turned in time to see Dimitri approach, looking rather displeased. He stepped in between the two, standing to face Felix head on.    
  


“Ah, hi there, Your Highness,” Claude smiled. “Just the man I was looking for. I--”

  
“Felix, you know that’s no way to talk to another student,” Dimitri interrupted, giving him a disappointed frown. “Let alone a house leader! I--” He stopped, glancing at Claude. He gave him a curious look, dropping his previous anger the moment he met his eyes. “You were looking for me?”

“Yep. The princess was looking for you. I offered to hunt you down myself,” Claude hummed.    
  
“Oh, I see. In that case,” Dimitri turned back to Felix. “If you’ll excuse us--”

“No one asked you to be here in the first place, boar,” Felix turned away sharply, stalking towards the straw dummies at the edge of the grounds.   
  
Claude and Dimitri watched him attack the dummies with a surprising amount of vigor, an awkward silence falling around them. 

“Edelgard isn’t actually looking for me, right?” Dimitri said, not looking at Claude.

“Nope,” Claude crossed his arms. Felix was now moving on from his battered dummy to his next victim. “It was the first thing I could think of.”

“Ah, thank you,” Dimitri finally tore his gaze from Felix, and let it settle on Claude instead. “While you’re here, I’d like to ask you something. I saw you, this morning, leaving the Golden Deer’s classroom. Did something happen?”   
  
Claude raised a hand to rub at the back of his neck, sheepish. “Oh, did you hear that? It’s really not a big deal, honestly.”   
  
Dimitri regarded him with a look of genuine concern. “Really? I saw Lysithea forcing you from the room, and the noise just before then was--”   
  
“Ah, seriously, Your Princeliness, don’t worry about it,” Claude waved a hand, trying to brush off the subject. “It was just a little accident, no harm done.”   
  
“Lysithea didn’t seem to think so.”   
  
“Lysithea needs to learn how to have a bit more fun,” Claude shook his head, though it was quick enough to go mostly unnoticed, Dimitri saw a look of fondness in Claude’s eyes.

Dimitri smiled softly at that.

It was quick, but Claude still managed to catch it out of the corner of his eye. He glanced at Dimitri, giving him a curious look. He didn’t say a word, but he felt like his expression was enough to go off of. 

“Ah, I should--” Dimitri’s face warmed, his shoulders straightening. Claude watched in mild interest as he became less of a friendly student, and more of a well mannered prince. “I should go. I have much to do, regretfully. Will I be seeing you--”

He stopped himself, coughing into his fist. He bowed slightly, and turned tail before Claude could even begin to question him. 

Claude watched him leave. It was similar to earlier, his face a light shade of pink and his movements jerky and awkward. Could he possibly be…?   
  
He stifled a smile, tapping his chin. How interesting, getting to see such a normally courtly prince become so easily flustered by such a simple friendly interaction. Surely he didn’t act like this with the Lords, they would step all over him if that were the case. Claude hummed, thoughtful. 

So much was hidden under that statuesque facade, internal turmoil that Claude could only wish to someday understand. 

Claude wasn’t the type to wish, however. He had goals, and he would do anything within his power to achieve them.

\---

The rest of the week went by without much drama. Seminars and weekly assignments took up most of the student’s schedules, leaving them rather busy. When the students weren’t studying and learning in the classrooms, they filled the training grounds to hone their skills.

Claude was in the library for an ungodly amount of time. He was surrounded by a pile of books, several of which were open all at once. Claude skimmed over each one in turn, absorbing an overwhelming amount of information.

Information which had little to do with his schoolwork. No, this was on the stories of the world, stories of worlds he knew little about. It was anything he could find that didn’t have to do with the church, or a saint, or any of the gods people loved to fall on their knees for. He was tired of that, he wanted to know the  _ truth  _ of the world.

He wanted to know  _ why _ the world was the way it was. More importantly, why the people in it behaved the way they did.

He sighed, rubbing the fatigue from his eyes. He hadn’t realized how late it was, the exhaustion suddenly creeping up on him. Claude closed the books, starting to put them back on the shelves one by one.

It took longer than he wanted, and the sun had long since set. Moonlight shone through the monastery windows, painting the stone walls in icy light. Corridors illuminated by candlelight brought a sense of warmth in the otherwise cold building, ridding the faintly ominous feeling that settled over Claude’s shoulders.

Sure, it was past curfew, but Claude never felt so  _ cautious  _ wandering the halls at night. It was a usual occurrence, something he couldn’t help but do. It was easy to get lost within the books, and he could only find peace in solitude. The library was too full of curious eyes during the day, and the last thing he wanted was people suspecting him.

Not that they didn’t to begin with. He couldn’t help that people wanted to know about him. Claude refused to talk in depth about his past, and for quite good reason. Secrets followed him like wakes in the water, identical to the ripples in a still pond’s surface.

Which, he had somehow ended up at.

The pond was quiet, not a soul around the area to bother him. He was tired, but a few more minutes out probably wouldn’t hurt. He wandered over to the pier, looking out at the water with silent contentment. Claude knelt down to let his hand swish through the water. It was cold, but it didn’t bother him much. Instead it made him want to dive in even more, to just disappear under the surface for just a moment. A short escape, something he knew he needed. 

He pulled his hand out of the water, wiping it on the front of his coat. He’d even consider taking a dip, if he wasn’t still in his uniform. Also, if it weren’t for the gaze he felt burning into his back.

“I know, I know, I’m out past curfew,” Claude turned his head slightly, wondering which professor caught him this time. “I--”

Concerned blue eyes met his surprised green. 

“Dimitri?”


	2. surround me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :fingerpointleft: :fingerpointright: im shy
> 
> there'll be more drama soon, if i have anything 2 say about it lol

There was a tense silence that settled around them after Claude spoke. He was surprised to see  _ him  _ of all people. The earnest prince, who tried so desperately to follow the rules and stay out of trouble, stood before him. 

Dimitri blinked. “I’m sorry for interrupting you. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

“No, no,” Claude waved his hand. “You’re not bothering me. I was just surprised to see  _ you _ here. You never seemed to be the type to break the rules. What brought you here?”   
  
Dimitri pursed his lips, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He looked almost shy, like he was afraid to explain himself. 

“Well, if I’m being honest,” Dimitri scratched his cheek. “I couldn’t sleep. It’s stupid, just a dream. I like to take short walks to try to force myself back to sleep.”

“A dream? That’s quite a reaction for a dream,” Claude, now assured that he wasn’t in trouble, sat down on the pier, letting his legs swing slightly. He patted the space beside him, glancing at Dimitri. “You can tell me about it, if you’d like.”

Dimitri hesitates, glancing between the dorms and the spot beside Claude. He knew what he  _ should _ do, but something about Claude’s presence was enough to convince him to plop down beside him. 

He rested his weight on his hands, leaning back to look up at the stars overhead. The night was cooler than usual, a sure sign of the coming winter. The winters here were surely nothing like the winters at home, in Faerghus. But, unlike Claude, Dimitri wasn’t in his regular uniform. His sleep clothes did little to protect him from the chill, but he didn’t utter a single complaint. 

Instead, he glanced at Claude, who had his face tilted towards the sky as well, though his eyes were closed. Dimitri never got the chance to look at him so closely, to inspect how truly  _ tired _ he was. The bags under his eyes were well defined, though he still managed to look relaxed with his gentle smile. Dimitri couldn’t understand how he could hide it so well. 

He looked away eventually, returning his attention towards the sky. Without thinking, he began to speak, surprising them both with the sound of his voice. 

“It was a nightmare, actually. Though, you probably already figured that out,” Dimitri’s gaze lowered to stare absentmindedly at the pond. “I have it fairly often, so it doesn’t bother me as much anymore. I don’t know why tonight’s any different, truthfully.”

Claude stifled a yawn that threatened to escape. “Maybe it was a blessing from the goddess herself. That’s what the church would say, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to bear witness to such a beautiful night,” Claude let the toe of his boot disturb the surface of the water, casting ripples over the reflection of the moon. “It’s easy to forget about your worries. Everything seems so…  _ small _ in comparison.”

Dimitri watched him with a curious look, realizing that he may very well be seeing a side of Claude rarely shown to others. A side kept carefully concealed from wandering eyes. For a moment, Claude’s smile faltered, almost resembling a frown. But, just as quick as it had appeared, it vanished behind a slight smirk. 

“You’re shivering,” Claude turned to him suddenly, surprising Dimitri enough to flinch. “Here.”

He unfastened the buckle of his cloak, removing it from his shoulders. “Get closer, we can share,” he tilted his head. “Is that okay?”

Dimitri felt himself scoot over before he could stop himself. He stiffened in surprise when Claude closed the gap, letting them be close enough that their arms were brushing against each other as Claude wrapped his cloak around them. 

Dimitri’s face burned, he suddenly didn’t feel cold enough to need the cloak, but he didn’t say a word. 

For another long moment, neither of them spoke. Dimitri was still stiff, staring intently at the pond. He tried not to think of how close they were, or how unfamiliar he was with the sensation. It was hard to believe how he had ended up in this position, with  _ Claude _ of all people. 

Claude’s head dropped to rest on his shoulder, causing Dimitri to instantly freeze. 

He was  _ asleep _ . 

Dimitri looked at him in surprise, looking over him with a bit of concern. He looked different like this, almost innocent. He didn’t have that mask of feigned nonchalance he always seemed to wear. No, with his lips slightly parted and the occasional flutter of his eyelashes, Claude was exactly who he tried so desperately to hide. 

Just a boy. A young man with too much to hide. 

His brows furrowed as he started to stir, scrunching his face as he pulled away. Dimitri realized what he had been doing with horror, and started to stand. Claude looked at him curiously as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, stifling a yawn behind his hand. 

“Hm? What’s going on?” Claude mumbled, stretching out a bit. 

“Please, allow me to escort you back to the dorms,” Dimitri picked up Claude’s cloak, wrapping it over his forearm. “It’s getting late, and you’ll catch a cold if you sleep out here.”

Claude stood, stretching out his legs. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting to be doted on by the prince himself. But yes, you’re probably right.”

Claude started to walk towards the direction of the dorms, brushing past Dimitri. He paused, turning back to look at him with a rather unreadable expression. 

“Ah, I suppose I should request that you keep this little meeting of ours to yourself,” Claude gave him a casual smile, though there was something in his eyes that seemed... _ off _ . “Don’t want us getting in trouble, yeah?”

Dimitri nodded quickly. “Of course. I was going to request the same.”

“Great. I’ll see you around, then, Your Princeliness,” Claude gave him a small wave and went on his way, leaving Dimitri alone in his bewilderment.

Dimitri was stunned by the whole event, from Claude talking freely to falling asleep on his shoulder. It honestly felt like a dream. He would’ve believed it to be true, had it not been for the yellow cloak Claude had left in his arms. Dimitri’s heart sank at the thought of Claude getting in trouble for being out of dress code, but lifted at the promise of getting to see him again. It was a wonderfully simple plan, find him, return the cloak, and request to talk some more.

He was proud of himself for such careful planning, his chest puffing out in pride. Dimitri was quickly going to come for Claude’s scheming title, if he kept this up. 

\---

Claude’s plan was going to work perfectly. 

Leaving his cloak behind like that was brilliant. Knowing just how eager Dimitri was about being such a chivalrous prince, Claude figured he’d be more than happy to deliver a lost item. Which meant they’d get to meet face to face again, and Claude could try and squeeze a bit of his time out of him. It was simple, yet flawless.

Except, things quickly went wrong. 

Claude’s  _ condition  _ had flared up, leaving him in a panic trying to make a small dosage of his medicine. 

Claude was no stranger to secrets. He respected that many people had them, though his curiosity often led him sticking his nose in places it certainly didn’t belong. He couldn’t help it, he felt the need to know as much as he could about everything. It was a way of protecting himself, in a sense. By knowing the secrets of others, he could carefully maneuver his way out of potential danger.

The secret that Claude had to keep, however, was detrimental to who he was. It wasn’t a simple matter of a family affair, though that was a rather easy way of putting it. Claude’s background was complicated, and was a matter that no one, besides himself and his parents, knew about. Claude was an outsider, in every rendition of the word. He wholly belonged nowhere, a fact that plagued him wherever he found himself.

His mother was from Fodlan, giving him his Crest and his name, as well as a significant amount of pressure. It was well known that he was to be the eventual leader of the Leicester Alliance, a fact that none could truly argue. Nonetheless, whispers of the true identity of his missing father did little to help persuade the other lords. 

His father wasn’t  _ actually _ missing, at least, not to those who knew where to look for him. Conveniently enough, he wasn’t exactly easy to find. Or get to, for that matter. 

Claude’s father was Almyran, a secretive people who lived in the eastern seas. Key word:  _ in _ . 

Simply put, Claude was half mermaid. And, on rather rare occasions, it showed. Today just happened to be one of those occasions. 

As he studied, he had been scratching the back of his hand. It was an absentminded act, he didn’t think much of it until he had looked down and saw exactly what made him suddenly itchy. A patch of green scales gilded with splatters of gold had made its existence known, much to the frustration of Claude. He had forgotten to whip up another batch of his medicine, leaving him in a sudden frenzy to deal with the issue before it got irreparably worse. 

And, of course, it got worse. 

He cursed loudly at the sound of someone knocking the door to his room, dropping the bottle he had been holding in surprise. He let out a frustrated groan as the glass shattered, the contents spilling out and pooling by his feet. 

“Claude, are you hurt?” It was Dimitri. Of course it was Dimitri. “I heard a crash, I’m coming in!”

“No! Don’t come in—” Claude shouted, but was interrupted by the sudden slam of the door. 

Dimitri stood in the doorway, looking started. Claude shoved his hand behind his back, giving the prince a tense smile. He looked at the yellow cloak in his hands, and gave a quick nod towards the bed. 

“Ah, great, thank you,” Claude was frozen on the spot. He had no idea if the scales had appeared anywhere else, especially in Dimitri’s field of view. “I was looking for that. You can leave it on the bed.”

Dimitri blinked at him, eyeing him with concern. “I heard a crash,” he repeated, gaze falling to the bits of glass on the floor. “Are you injured?”

He took a step forward, to which Claude immediately stepped back, extending a hand in an unspoken warning. 

Claude looked at his hand, startled. The scales had disappeared, somehow. 

“Claude? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost,” Dimitri’s voice was soft, dripping with a mix of unease and worry. “Please, you haven’t said a thing. That’s not like you.”

Furrowing his brows, Claude flipped his hand over to investigate his palm. Nothing there, either. How odd. 

“ _ Claude _ , please.” 

Claude dropped his hand to his side, glancing at Dimitri. He quickly plastered on a smile, taking in a quick breath. 

“Ah, sorry about that,” Claude wove his words as quickly as he could. “Was trying a new recipe for a poison. Didn’t exactly go as I’d hoped. What can I do for you?”

Dimitri’s expression was that of mild disbelief. The scene was odd, even for Claude’s standards. Instead of questioning further, he held out the cloak. 

“You left this with me at the pond last night,” His cheeks were suddenly dusted by a light shade of pink, the previous situation clearly brushed aside. “I wanted to return it to you. I would’ve waited until class, but I was afraid you might be reprimanded for being out of dress code.”

Claude forced himself to step forward, avoiding the glass, and took the cloak. He quickly buckled it onto his uniform, giving a quick grin to Dimitri.

“I was wondering if—”

“I wanted to ask you—”

The two spoke at once, blinking at each other in surprise. They both chuckled, then waited for the other to continue. Dimitri cleared his throat, speaking first. 

“I wanted to ask you,” he started, suddenly looking nervous. “Uhm, if you were interested, maybe we could have tea sometime? Together?”

He immediately looked like he wanted to die on the spot, which, to Claude, was entirely endearing. 

“Hey, don’t look so nervous, Your Princeliness,” Claude crossed his arms. “Of course I would. How does tomorrow afternoon sound?”

Dimitri instantly brightened. “Really? Excellent! Tomorrow afternoon it is, then.”

“I have to wonder, though,” Claude regarded him inquisitively. “Why suddenly now? Not that I’m not flattered, I’m just curious as to what made you suddenly interested in me.”

“I-interested in you?” Dimitri’s face turned a brilliant shade of red, waving his hands in mild panic. “Ah, t-that’s not—”

“No, no,” Claude laughed lightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. “I meant like, why me of all people? And why now?”

Dimitri let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He didn’t know how to answer without it being awkward, or without dumping all his insecurities onto him. Claude was just easy for him to talk to, for whatever reason. 

“Last night,” he trailed off, unsure how to word it without sounding weird. “Last night, when we talked, I realized how little I know about you. About…the part of you that you seem to hide, for whatever reason.”

Claude felt a chill run down his back. He tried to maintain his cool, but the statement did little to ease his already racing heart. “I can’t say I know what you mean.”   
  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Dimitri wrung his hands together. “I truly didn’t mean it like that. You just...seemed different somehow. And, like I said, I don’t know much about you. I know  _ who _ you are, obviously, but I cannot say I know much more than that.”   
  
“Are you asking to get to know me, Your Highness?” Claude gave him a teasing shove. He was safe. 

“A-ah, well, when you put it like that,” Dimitri scratched his cheek sheepishly. “I suppose that’s what I’m asking, yes.”

Claude smiled softly. “You should’ve said so. I’d be more than happy to join you, though don’t anticipate a one-sided conversation. Oh, and thanks again for bringing my cloak.”   
  
DImitri nodded, taking that as an invitation to leave. Before he moved, he glanced at the shattered glass on the ground. As he opened his mouth to speak, Claude’s hand started to itch again. He twirled Dimitri around, gently shoving him out of his room with a pained smile. 

“Don’t worry about it! I’ll clean it up in no time,” Claude gave him a thumbs-up, slowly closing the door behind Dimitri. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Your Highness!”

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Dimitri even more mystified than he had anticipated. Claude was odd, that was certain, but there was something  _ off _ about him this time, as if he were caught off guard by something. Was it him?   
  
He frowned at the thought, beginning to walk away from the dormitory. Maybe Dimitri really  _ wasn’t  _ cut out for friendships. No matter how hard he tried, he always felt like everyone was just being careful to not offend him. He was completely incapable of connecting.

Dimitri shook his head, clearing away the thoughts. This time, it would be different. He was  _ certain _ . Claude seemed to understand what it was like, and this event was only a fluke. It was nothing to worry about. 

Besides, this was a  _ victory _ ! He had managed to accomplish just what he had hoped to, both talking to Claude and making plans to do it  _ again _ . His heart fluttered, making him feel like he was practically floating as he made his way to the classrooms. What was he doing, worrying about little details? 

With his mood significantly brighter, Dimitri left the rest of the Blue Lions left staring at him in baffled silence. No one dared to ask, too shocked to even think about questioning him about it. Instead, they all wordlessly agreed to enjoy the prince’s good mood while it lasted. 

All except Sylvain, who was desperate to find out who Dimitri  _ finally _ had a crush on. A sharp punch from Ingrid stopped him in his tracks, leaving the mystery alone. 

\---

In the meantime, Claude had his own issues to deal with. He had spent the rest of the morning cleaning up the mess he made, as well as making another dose of his “medicine”. 

Luckily, classes had been pushed back to the afternoon for the Golden Deer students, giving Claude enough time to sort himself out. With a bit of extra time to kill, he ended up at the dining hall where Hilda immediately called his name.

He sat down across from her, placing his plate down a little harder than usual. He was exhausted, the day had barely started and so much had happened. And, knowing Hilda, there was always the threat of  _ more _ .

“So,” Hilda leaned across the table, a glint in her eyes. “I heard a rumor about you, you know.”

Claude nearly choked on his drink. Did Dimitri see something? No, that couldn’t be true. He wasn’t the type to spread rumors. “Is that so?”

She nodded thoughtfully, taking a long sip of her tea, eyes closed. When she opened them, they were bright with mischief. “Yep. Turns out Dimitri had something of yours. Your  _ cloak _ .” She eyed the yellow cape with a smile, placing her teacup on the table. “Looks like you already knew that, though.”

He tried to hide the instant relief that washed over him. “I sure did. Hand delivered by His Highness himself. I’m having tea with him tomorrow, as thanks.”   
  
“Yeah? Just as thanks?” Hilda twirled her finger on the edge of her teacup. “How could you have lost your cloak? And how.. interesting that Dimitri was the one who found it, right?”   
  
“Are you suspecting me of being up to no good?” Claude smirked, giving Hilda an innocent look. “Little old Claude?”   
  
Hilda rolled her eyes at that. “Of course I am. When aren’t you?” She laughed lightly, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. 

Claude chuckled into his cup, rolling his eyes. It was nice to take some time to himself, Hilda was a good person. She knew how to find information before most did, even the most hushed whispers weren’t safe from her sharp hearing. Not to mention, she was a formidable opponent on the battlefield. Claude was more than happy to not be on the opposite end of her axe. 

After they had finished up their meal, the two made their way to the classrooms, chatting idly as they walked. Hilda had gone on a rant, complaining about some assignment she had to do, leaving Claude to half zone out. A sharp jab at his side and he was back to normal, blinking at Hilda in confusion. 

She pointed across the courtyard, Claude’s gaze following the direction until it landed on it’s target. Dimitri. 

The prince turned slightly, just catching Claude’s eyes as he did so. His face darkened to it’s usual shade of pink, and he awkwardly raised a hand to wave. Claude waved back, giving him an easy smile.

Dimitri brightened immediately, his smile widening as he waved again, a little more enthusiastically. Claude chuckled a bit at that, causing Hilda to nudge him again. 

“So, that tea date tomorrow,” She gave him a cheeky grin, followed by a wink. “Still just a ‘thank you’, huh?”

It wasn’t often that Claude was caught off guard. But, in moments like this, how could he not be? He felt his face warm a bit, rolling his eyes at her. “Don’t be silly. It’s nothing like that at all.”

And it wasn’t like that, truly. Maybe he had to convince himself of that, but it wasn’t like he should be going around galavanting with the prince of Faerghus himself. That would cause way too many problems in the long run, and Claude had much at stake. 

As he said it though, his stomach twisted. Regret, almost, as his mind went straight into thinking of the politics of such a relationship. Claude was more than capable of planning ahead, that was his  _ thing _ after all. He tried to predict and think of everything, from battle strategies to being a few steps ahead in conversation.

But something like this? Relationships? He couldn’t predict a thing.

And maybe that scared him, just a bit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapters are going to be picking up in both length and content soon enough! starting of chaptered fics is always a pain for me but, almost done :3c
> 
> there might be a break coming up sometime soon so i can finish up my draft of the other chapters. i don't have an exact chapter count yet bc i have two options so far: 1. write a longer version of this with the timeskip halfway though or 2. write a shorter version of this and write a sequel that takes place 5 years later
> 
> either way, thank u for reading! kudos + comments help tremendously!! find me at @rosesapphire on tumblr!

**Author's Note:**

> this fic will update weekly on saturdays, i'll announce any possible delays here in the notes. i'm still in the process of drafting out the story, but for now we're just going 4 it. yolo
> 
> anyways, thank you for reading! as always, kudos + comments help tremendously! 
> 
> find me on tumblr at  @rosesapphire  !


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